Helensburgh Town Centre scoops another prestigious award

Helensburgh's revitalised town centre public realm has scooped yet another prestigious award at a recent ceremony.

The design by Austin-Smith:Lord took home the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) award at the ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow on Wednesday, June 16.

RIAS commented on the bold regeneration project which forms part of Argyll and Bute’s Council’s CHORD initiative, for delivering on ‘the design ethos to create a town centre with attractive, usable and flexible public spaces to support community events, festivals and markets.’ Councillor Ellen Morton, Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Leader for Infrastructure, said: “This is wonderful news. We are absolutely delighted that this major improvement project continues to gain national recognition.

“Now we have an attractive, usable and flexible public space for general enjoyment and to support community events, festivals and markets.

“Awards like this are a real vote of confidence in the council’s regeneration work.”

This is the second national award that Helensburgh’s town centre has received. Last month it received a Scottish Design Award for its contribution to the country’s historic and contemporary design culture.

The project has also been shortlisted for four other awards this year and as RIAS award winners will now be part of the short-list for the RIAS Doolan Award for Architecture, one of the most significant architecture awards in the world.

Austin-Smith:Lord Partner, Graham Ross is thrilled to receive the award.

He said: “It’s an honour to be amongst an impressive crop of RIAS award winners that collectively showcase the best in contemporary Scottish architecture and design.

“Community consultation and collaborative working by a talented team has been at the heart of delivering this successful project in Helensburgh.

“The RIAS Award recognises both the vision of Argyll and Bute Council’s CHORD regeneration project as well as design team’s ability to interpret the hopes and ideas of local people to transform their town for the better.”